


To The Rescue

by DisharmonicVoices



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Gen, Parental Abuse, Violence, kind of a sequel i guess, king spade is a dick again, mature language, oops all angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-25 06:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16656175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisharmonicVoices/pseuds/DisharmonicVoices
Summary: Rouxls has had enough of the King abusing Lancer, but what will him standing up against it cost?





	1. Pain

A dark feeling had been lingering inside Rouxls for days now. A feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him something terrible was soon to happen. He had lost sleep over it, trying to figure out what it was. He thought, oddly enough, things seemed to be going better for the king and Lancer, there had hardly been a bad exchange between them at all, yet still he had this feeling. He tried to shake it off, tried to tell himself differently, but he couldn’t get rid of the feeling no matter what he did. He lay his head on his desk, arms crossed out in front of him as he let out a groan. He stayed in this position for several minutes before he finally got up and put on his jacket. It was nearly time to get dinner ready for Lancer, anyway. He had just reached a hand out to open the door when it opened.  
A Rudinn looking tired and panicky stood in the doorway. “Rouxls! I’m so sorry I have to bother you like this but, it’s Lancer. He got hurt and he doesn’t want anyone else to come get him.”  
Rouxls hid the initial panic of hearing Lancer was hurt, raising an eyebrow and then shrugging his shoulders as he followed the Rudinn out of the castle. “What hast happened?” He asked as the door closed behind him.  
“We think he fell off his bike, but we aren’t really sure.”  
It was only a few minutes before Rouxls reached the prince, who was curled up on the ground holding his knee and whimpering.  
“Lancer?” Rouxls spoke softly as he knelt down next to the child. “Have thou fallen? I toldest thou to take care when riding!” He lightly scolded as he picked up the prince.  
“I’m sorry.” Lancer’s voice trembled only slightly as he spoke.  
“You needest not to be sorry, mine prince. I just wisheth you would wear thine helmet.”  
Not much else was said as Lancer was carried back to the castle, and to his bedroom where he was set down so Rouxls could clean his knee and bandage it. They didn’t need to talk much anymore, not after the big talk they had had a week ago, they just seemed to know what the other was feeling.  
Lancer got up and hugged Rouxls when his leg was cleaned up. “Thanks lesser dad! I’m gonna go get my bike now.” Rouxls smiled as he stood up, giving Lancer a pat on the head.  
“Very well, mine prince. If the chain hast come off the gears a Jigsawry shall fixeth it.” Lancer just waved to the duke as he ran out of his room, leaving Rouxls alone in the prince’s bedroom.  
“Well, since I’m here.” He thought to himself as he began tidying the room. Making the bed, picking up clothes and toys, and plugging in the prince’s MP3 player to charge and leaving it on his bedside table. Once he was satisfied he left the room and shut the door quietly and was headed to the next room over, his shoppe, when he heard something. The brief feelings of delight were overtaken by the return of his feeling of dread. It was Spade’s voice. He sounded absolutely furious, but it wasn’t as close as it usually was, as if he weren’t standing in the throne room at all. Rouxls began inching forwards, through the empty throne room in an attempt to hear what was being said.  
“You can’t even handle your knee getting scratched! You had to have Rouxls, that bastard, come pick you up and carry you back here! What kind of pathetic, weak, soft little wimp am I raising?!” Silence followed his voice. Rouxls swallowed hard, hands balled into fists at his sides. “What have I told you about being quiet?!”  
Finally, he heard Lancer’s voice. “Not to do it.” It was shaking terribly, and Rouxls knew he was crying.  
“Speak the hell up!”  
“You told me not to be quiet.”  
“Exactly. Now get over here!”  
Lancer made a sound Rouxls was unfamiliar with, and it was followed by footsteps leading away from the throne room. Rouxls had to do his best to stay silent as he followed the sound of the king and Lancer, even going so far as to remove his shoes so they wouldn’t click on the floor. He couldn’t keep up enough to hear any of what the king was saying, but he knew he had to get closer so he wouldn’t hurt Lancer.  
“Quit crying!” The king snapped loudly, even making Rouxls flinch. “I’m about to teach you something about being a man, Lancer.”  
Rouxls had followed them up onto the roof, standing at a point he would not be seen but he could still see the king and his son.  
Spade had set Lancer on the middle of the roof, currently holding his own tail with a spade attack pointed at his own child. “You need to learn how to deal with damage.” The spade hit Lancer in the stomach. “Learn how to fight.” Another, larger spade hit Lancer. “You want to be like me, don’t you? You want to inherit my throne, and lead this kingdom?” Lancer did not audibly respond, only being able to nod his head. “Then you need to start,” another hit, “acting,” another hit, “like it!” Several spades hit Lancer in the chest and stomach, knocking him back.  
Rouxls’s entire body was shaking with rage. He didn’t know how much more the child could take. He had to step in, he had to do something!  
Lancer’s father loomed over him, and he grabbed the boy by the neck, pulling him up into the air. The prince squirmed in his father’s tight grasp, fighting for air and to be let back down. “You’re weak. Pathetic.” He held Lancer out over the edge, dangling the child over the ground 5 stories below them. “I should just let go. I have no use for a son like you!”  
Rouxls couldn’t hold back at this point. Lancer could die at any second, and he’d be damned if he hadn’t done anything to try and stop it. He charged at the king, not caring how loud he was. He rammed himself into the king’s body, knocking him and Lancer back onto the roof. The king let go of his son once he hit the flat surface of the roof. Rouxls scrambled to his feet and began checking over Lancer, asking frantically if he was hurt and trying to look at his chest and stomach while Lancer hugged onto him for dear life. Something wrapped around the duke’s ankle, and he didn’t notice until it’s teeth bit into his leg. He let out a yelp of pain, and looked back only to realize the king’s tail was dragging him. Panic set in, and he held his arms out. “Sire! Please, forgiveth mine actions!” But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Rouxls was thrown into the air, and without have a second to process what was happening, everything went black.


	2. Suffering

“ _Get up._ ” A distant, but familiar voice called to him. “ _Please, you have to wake up before he comes back._ ” His eyes began to crack open, and pain shot through his entire body as he tried to move his arm.  
“Lancer?” Rouxls asked as his eyes slowly opened, the child looming above his body.  
“Rouxls! You’re alive!” Lancer cried out as he gave the man a hug, though that didn’t much help the pain.  
“What, hast happened?” He asked, feeling quite a sizeable bump on the back of his own head.  
“Father threw you off the roof.” Lancer’s voice shook as he spoke the words that brought almost all memory back.  
“Prince! Art thou wounded? He was not too rough with you, was he?” Lancer pushed his worried hand away.  
“I’m fine! You’re the one with a broken leg.”  
Broken? Rouxls hadn’t even noticed until Lancer said something. He looked down at the crude way his leg was bent and felt ill, having to turn his eyes away.  
“We need to find a way to get you out of prison!”  
And there was another thing Rouxls hadn’t noticed. He was too concerned with Lancer to realize he was laying on stone in the musky air of the basement with one hand chained to the wall behind him. Lancer was about to say something else when they both heard what was clearly his father’s heavy footsteps on the stairs. Rouxls began to panic as he felt a pit drop in his stomach.  
“Lancer, thou must hide! He mustn’t know you art with me!” He spoke in a hushed, panicked tone as Lancer scrambled to find a place to hide, ultimately settling on hiding behind a pillar in a darker corner of the room. Meanwhile, Rouxls pretended to be unconscious still, stirring only slightly as he heard the metal door slide open against the concrete.  
“Kaard.” He heard the king’s voice as he began to open his eyes. “Get up.” He was winded with a painful blow to his stomach, which sat him mostly up, at least as much as he could with his leg.  
“What, I, where? Sire?” He looked up at the king, fear and panic playing quite believably on his face. “Why am I, here? What happened?”  
Rouxls had hardly finished his sentence when the king slapped him sharply across the face, eliciting a pained response from the duke. “You know _exactly_ why you’re here, Kaard. Do you know what happens to those who dare commit treason against me?”  
Rouxls did know what happened, and the very thought brought tears to his eyes.  
“And I’m going to let Lancer watch, teach him something about being a man, show him what happens to those who would ever dare attack a Spade.” Another attack hit Rouxls square in the chest, blowing him back onto the slab of concrete used as a bed. He was seeing stars as the door shut and locked again. Lancer emerged from the darkness and gently shook Rouxls.  
“Rouxls? Don’t go to sleep again, please.”  
“I, I am awake, mine prince.” He was hardly awake, but he was awake.  
“What did he mean? What’s gonna happen to you? Rouxls? You’re crying.” Lancer was talking frantically, trying to get an answer out of the man, but he remained quiet. How could he tell him? How was he supposed to tell this child that treason is punishable by death? He would never understand, he hardly understood how to download “songs” on his MP3.  
“Lancer.” He tried to sound calm as he sat up again, breathing still hoarse from being knocked around, setting his free hand on Lancer’s cheek. “You needeth to be strong, okay? And not in the way thine father wishes. You must be strong here.” He tapped Lancer’s chest as the boy reach up to hold his hand. “Something, is going to happen to me. Something very bad.” He squeezed Lancer’s hand tightly. “And, you will be alone, with thy father.”  
Lancer frowned hearing this. “You’re leaving? But, but why? You, you promised you would never leave! That’s not fair!”  
Rouxls’s heart was breaking as tears rolled down his cheeks. “I wish it could be another way, mine prince, but I don’t think we can change your father’s mind. I don’t want to leave you, trust me when I say this.” Lancer hugged Rouxls, and he felt his shirt become a little wet. He rubbed the back of the boy’s head beneath his hood. Lowering his head, he placed a gently kiss on Lancer’s head as he tried to hold the child closer.  
Lancer wiped his eyes and looked up. “What if we got you out? If we broke you out of prison? You, you could go stay in that castle behind the gate! Father would never find you there!”  
Rouxls turned his eyes away. He couldn’t escape in his condition. A broken leg, probably several other bones broken or fractured, he hardly had the strength to sit up in bed, let alone try to run from Spade and his troops. “You must return upstairs, before you are caught with me, mine prince. Go now, please.” This only upset Lancer more and he stomped his feet as he ran away. Rouxls turned over on the slab of concrete, turned into a fetal position as he cried. He was about to be killed, and Spade was going to make Lancer watch.  
When Rouxls awoke again his body was being moved, the pain was the first thing to wake him, though he did seem to be being moved with care. He opened his eyes to see one of the Rudinn guards bandaging his broken leg in a thick layer of wraps to emulate a cast. “Oh, you’re awake.” The guard looked away from Rouxls. “What, did you do?”  
“I was only protecting Lancer. I never meant any harm to his majesty. I acted upone mine own impulse.”  
The Rudinn was quiet as it applied another layer of bandages. Rouxls sat silently as well, not having anymore to say on the matter. “Well, he plans on keeping you here for a week, we don’t know why. He must need to make, a decision.”  
“His highness has already made up his mind, and I know I am to be executed. No need to sugar coat, little diamond.” The Rudinn simply nodded and slunked back to the door.  
“Thanks for not trying to escape while your door was unlocked.”  
Rouxls didn’t answer, and sat in the darkness as the door was shut and locked. That was how Lancer got back out, he must have gotten a key somewhere. That boy sure was a handful. A darling, caring, precious little handful.  
Rouxls sat in the dark for quite a while, humming lullabies he would never have the chance to sing to Lancer again. Thinking about stories he never got to tell. Thinking about everything he was going to miss because of one action. But at least Lancer was safe, at least he was alive.  
Would he ever take the training wheels off his bike? Maybe someday he would get the horn he really wanted, or the streamers he wants on the handlebars. Maybe he would find a way to get the lights that go on the tires, he had always talked about it. Perhaps one day he’ll be able to ride a real motorcycle. Though, he would have no one to teach him how. Rouxls had taught him how to ride his bike, and they were still working up to removing the third wheel. He was so close, he knew it. He just wished he would be able to see it, to see Lancer grow up, to see Lancer become a better man than his father could ever be. He hoped deep in his soul that he would be. That the precious child wouldn’t be tainted by his father’s blackened heart. They may be darkners, but a darkner could still have a good soul. Hearing his own humming bounce of the walls in his cell was beginning to make him tired, but he didn’t want to sleep anymore. Somehow, sleeping felt tiresome. But, even as he tried to fight off he was drifting slowly off, his voice melting into the darkness and the silence that surrounded him.  
-  
“Hey! Hey, dad! Lesser dad? Hey! Hey Rouxls!”  
The duke sat up as he heard Lancer’s voice calling him, flinching as he heard the slow screech of the barred metal door rubbing against the concrete, opening just enough to let Lancer get inside.  
“Lancer? What art thou-”  
“I’m not giving up on you! Look, I told one of the Rudinn’s to try and fix your leg! Looks like they did a good job.”  
“Lancer, you, you told them to do this?” He was worried Spade might get angry at Lancer if he found out.  
“Hold still!” The child said as he began climbing onto the concrete slab where Rouxls was sat.  
“Wait, childe! Be not so hasty. What art thou doing? Did we not speak of this? You mustn’t put yourself in danger for me.”  
“I said I’m not giving up. We’re getting you out!”  
“But, Lancer I-”  
“No!” Lancer protested, maybe a little too loud. “I, I need you. I need you to stay, like you promised. Even if you don’t live in the castle anymore. Cause, cause no one else really likes me. And, you make sure I eat, and you get me to bed, and you sing, and you tell me stories and you tuck me in, and you don’t yell at me, you like me, and you think I’m strong, and I get to make puzzles with you, and you can teach me how to ride my bike with just two wheels, and you, you do all the things dads are supposed to do.” Lancer was sitting on the concrete with Rouxls, who could practically feel his heart breaking in his chest. “I, I don’t know what I would do without you. I think I would, I dunno. I don’t like not knowing.” The boy was shaking, looking up at Rouxls with his hood pulled down. “I need you.”  
Rouxls wrapped his free arm tightly around Lancer, holding him close in hopes the boy wouldn’t notice he was crying. “Lancer, my dearest, I only wanted to protecte you.” Lancer was hugging him back with both hands, holding his coat tightly. “I feared so much that you would be hurt due to my actions I never thought about, about what thou would have to endure.”  
Lancer wiped his eyes and looked at Rouxls, wiping the tears from his face too. “So you’ll let me help you escape?”  
Rouxls nodded his head. “Yes, but we must move fast, mine prince.” There was a click, and Rouxls’s hand was released from the chain attaching him to the wall. With Lancer’s help he stood slowly, having to take a minute as his legs had fallen asleep from being sat down for so long. The pain in his broken leg was sharp and piercing, but he had to fight through it, for Lancer. The two slipped out of the cell door which Lancer remembered to lock this time, and began heading back to the ground floor.  
The two weaved their way through the halls, avoiding the tired guards. For once, Rouxls was happy Spade overworked them all or else they surely would’ve been caught. They maneuvered their way out the back door on the ground floor of the castle, and shared one last goodbye before Rouxls would attempt to make it to the Great Door, where just beyond the old castle sat. There, he might be safe from Spade and his troops. He would be away from Lancer, possibly for a long time, but if they knew the other was safe, they could manage.  
“I promise to come to the great door every day. We can slip notes underneath it!”  
Rouxls smiled, hugging the child close. “Or we could just talk.”  
Lancer giggled. “Oh, yeah. Hey! I can practice knock-knock jokes with you!”  
Rouxls just nodded his head, accepting his fate as the person who would forever have to hear Lancer’s jokes. “I’m sure one day I will be able to return to the kingdom. But for now, I must hurry, before sunrise.” With a sad goodbye between the two, Rouxls began limping away from the castle.  
He weaved in and out of trees, creating his own paths and using secret paths no one but the highest in the court knew of. He would be safe this way, guards never came this way. He had gotten nearly two miles away from the castle before he had to stop, leaning against a tree for support. It was still a while until the great door, he was still in the scarlet forest. But his leg felt like it would fall off if he continued on it. He pulled himself into a nearby tree, elevating his broken leg to give it rest.  
He didn’t know how long he was in the tree, he had lost track of time, he supposed. The next minute it was as dark as could be, and the next he could see light beginning to spill over the land. Well, he supposed if he stayed on the paths then he would be okay. He supposed this for a minute, as voices began approaching him.  
“ _The king is furious, and no one seems to know where Lancer is either_.”  
“ _You think they ran off together or something?_ ”  
“ _Well, they don’t have many places to run to._ ”  
Rouxls couldn’t move. If he moved, the tree would shake and he would be caught, however if he didn’t move he would be seen clearly and caught as well. Panic rose in his chest and as he reached up to try and pull himself higher into the tree he lost his balance and fel backwards, directly into plain sight of the two Rudinn guards, and a Hathy sent to support them. He raced to his feet as the two diamond creatures yelled after him, pain shooting through his leg as he tried to run form them. He didn’t get very far as the two Rudinn’s grabbed him.  
“Please! He’ll kill me if you take me back there!”  
“Well, he’ll kill _us_ if he finds out we let you and Lancer get away. Where is the kid anyway?”  
Rouxls couldn’t fight them. It would be no use. “Lancer is not with me. I instructed him specifically to stay inside the castle, and to not follow me no matter what coste. Believe me this.”  
Rouxls was dragged back to the castle, where Spade was waiting out front. The man thrown to his knees before the king. He hissed as he landed on his broken leg, likely making the injury worse.  
“We have them both. Good.” Spade spoke as he grabbed Rouxls by the collar of his shirt and dragged him back to the basement. “I want two guards watching him at all times. Our little ceremony will take place tomorrow at noon.” Rouxls was locked back in his cell, both hands cuffed to the wall and his leg that wasn’t broken shackled to the floor. He had nothing for a bed this time, just the damp, cold ground. He watched with a spiteful glare as the king retreated. Why did he think running would work? Why did he let Lancer talk him into trying to escape? He cursed himself as he sat on the floor, not sleeping as the day dragged into night, and the night dragged into morning. Several times he could hear Lancer demanding to be let into the prison, and each time being refused. Each time he heard this, he cried harder. He wanted so much to be able to take the child in his arms and hold him, to caress the boy like he was his own as he had so many nights before, but he would never have another chance.  
Rouxls didn’t know when he fell asleep, all he knew was that he was woken up to the sound of bells chiming. It was noon. Guards opened his cell and brought him to his feet, tying his hands behind his back as the chimes rang ominously through the halls, telling what was to come. Rouxls was silent as he was walked into the courtyard. His eyes falling first on Lancer being held by the cruel man that was the king, and falling second on the guillotine.


	3. Torture (Good End)

Rouxls ripped his eyes away from Lancer, staring at the ground as tears fell from his face, walking silently forward until he was stopped, and put onto his knees. He hissed in pain from his broken leg, hands curling into fists behind his back. Lancer was calling for him, repeatedly, but he couldn’t bare to look at the child as he was bent forward, his body shaking as his head was placed on the lunette. He couldn’t look anywhere but the ground, and at this point he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

-

Lancer squirmed, fighting against his father’s tight grip. “Rouxls! Get up! Please!” He was yanked by his father.

“Quiet, boy! This is what must be done. He’s a traitor.”

Lancer disobeyed, he tried wiggling out of the kings grip, but that only made it tighter. “Stop it! Let him go! Please, father! Let him go!” The king grumbled, using both hands to hold down his child. 

“I thought I had taught you not to become attached to anyone. Don’t you see why? He’s turned on us, Lancer. He attacked me. He put you in danger. He must be dealt with.”

Lancer didn’t want to hear any of it. He kicked his legs, beat his body against his fathers hands, anything he could to try to loosen his grip, but the king didn’t budge. He was running out of time, and fast. 

The chime of the bell tower ceased, and with a nod the Rudinn spoke a soft apology to Rouxls and prepared to commence the execution. Lancer made one final act of rebellion. He bit down on his father’s hand. Hard enough to break the skin, and cause him to bleed. The king cursed and dropped his child on the ground as a gasp ripped through the crowd. Lancer scrambled to his feet and shot a spade towards the guillotine the second before the blade was dropped, and hit Rouxls in the chest. Rouxls coughed violently, but he was knocked off of the platform and out of the way of the blade as it sliced through the air, knocking hard down onto the wooden base. Rouxls watched as the head stock cracked by the force of the guillotine’s blade, not even aware Lancer had managed to cut the ropes away from his hands. Reality flooded back as he snatched the child in his arms and held him close, sobbing openly as Lancer held to him, crying also. 

Their moment was cut short. “ **_Lancer!_ ** ” The kings voice ripped through the crowd, and despite Rouxls’s efforts to shield the prince behind his own weakened body, Lancer stood and faced his father. His mouths were all gritting their teeth, his face had an expression of anger so fierce he looked like he may right explode before the crowd. “Come here.  _ Now _ .” He pointed sharply at the ground next to him, and Lancer, holding his ground, refused.

“No.” He said clearly, one thing he’d never done before.

The king was shaking with rage. “I am your father! I know what’s best for you!”

Lancer stomped his foot harder on the ground. “ _ No! _ ” He screamed. “You’re not my dad!  _ He is! _ ” He screamed louder, pointing at Rouxls. 

Though he did not back down from his stance, the king raised his eyes to glare at the attending members. “The court is dismissed.” He hissed, sending the guards in a frenzied race to exit the area. Lancer’s eyes never left his father, who took a step towards him “You think that, really?” He asked, head tilting to the side. “You see him as your father?” Without any more warning, the king launched an attack at Lancer. The boy closed his eyes, bracing to be hit, but it never happened. Something had blocked the attack. He looked back towards Rouxls, who had one arm outstretched and a soft blue glow around his hand that faded quickly. He looked worse than before, and the king grumbled as Lancer ran over to him. 

“Rouxls? Don’t go, please.” Lancer pleaded softly as Rouxls laid most of his body on the ground, still strong enough to hug Lancer and wipe the boy’s tears away. 

“I shall stay as long as I am able, mine darling boy.”

Lancer hugged him tighter, hearing his father leave the courtyard. “Stay here, I’m gonna get you help, okay?” Lancer made sure Rouxls was layed on the ground semi-comfortably before running off and returning with a small gathering of Hathy’s who lifted Rouxls gently just before he slipped into unconsciousness. 

-

Rouxls woke slowly, something warm tucked beneath his arm. He opened his mismatched eyes and looked to see Lancer, curled up in bed with him. At first he thought it all may have been a bad dream, until he noticed the cast on his leg and bandaging on his left arm. It had been real, every second of it. His stirring must have disturbed the boys sleep, as Lancer sat up and smiled at Rouxls, hugging him tighter. 

“Rouxls?”

“Yes, Lancer?”

“I’m sorry I had to attack you earlier. I, I didn’t know what else to do.”

Rouxls smiled and rubbed his head. “If it nay had been for thine attack, I would nay be in this bed. Thou hast saved my life, Lancer.”

“I guess we’re even then, since you saved mine.”

The two shared a moment of silence, enjoying the warm embrace. 

“The king must be furious.” Rouxls said, soft enough no one but Lancer would’ve heard him.

“He issued a statement. He said he, uhm “was acting on impulse”? I think, anyway. But, he doesn’t wanna kill you anymore. And, he said he wants to, talk with you about a new position? I don’t really understand what it means.”

The only noise in the room for the next few seconds were the sound of Rouxls’s hand rubbing Lancer’s back. 

“Thou sayest the king hath relinquished his fury towards mine actions, so he mustn’t mean too much harm.”

Lancer shifted a little, getting closer to Rouxls. “It still worries me.”

“If I hath survived this far, surely I can take it.”

Lancer smiled, laying back down next to Rouxls. “Hey, Rouxls?” He asked following the next few quiet moments.

“Yes, Lancer?”

“Do you think, I mean, would you mind if I just, y’know, just called you, dad, from now on?”

Rouxls smiled, rubbing his head under his hood. “It would be mine heart’s greatest pleasure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's talk?  
> -Yeah, so I had originally planned for Rouxls to die. In fact I might actually write it out and do this "Good end/Bad end" style. Maybe. **EDIT** Bad end version is going up.  
> -I wasn't sure how to fit in the talk Spade has with Rouxls, cause I had typed it out but I didn't know how to lead into it and didn't know how to end after that so it got cut. Basically Rouxls was deemed as Lancer's caretaker so long as he pledge his life to the king. He agreed, as he didn't want to live in prison.  
> -I just want you all to know each time I saw one of you type that you cried, I smiled. To be fair, I did get emotional in Chapter two while writing about Rouxls thinking about Lancer's future.  
> And yeah that's about it. Follow me on tumblr if you want, my blog name is wormy-business.


	4. Torture (Bad End)

Rouxls ripped his eyes away from Lancer, staring at the ground as tears fell from his face, walking silently forward until he was stopped, and put onto his knees. He hissed in pain from his broken leg, hands curling into fists behind his back. Lancer was calling for him, repeatedly, but he couldn’t bare to look at the child as he was bent forward, his body shaking as his head was placed on the lunette. He couldn’t look anywhere but the ground, and at this point he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

-

Lancer squirmed, fighting against his father’s tight grip. “Rouxls! Get up! Please!” He was yanked by his father.

“Quiet, boy! This is what must be done. He’s a traitor.”

Lancer disobeyed, he tried wiggling out of the kings grip, but that only made it tighter. “Stop it! Let him go! Please, father! Let him go!” The king grumbled, using both hands to hold down his child. 

“I thought I had taught you not to become attached to anyone. Don’t you see why? He’s turned on us, Lancer. He attacked me. He put you in danger. He must be dealt with.”

Lancer didn’t want to hear any of it. He kicked his legs, beat his body against his fathers hands, anything he could to try to loosen his grip, but the king didn’t budge. He was running out of time, and fast. 

The chime of the bell tower ceased, and with a nod the Rudinn spoke a soft apology to Rouxls and prepared to commence the execution. Lancer made one final act of rebellion. He bit down on his father’s hand. Hard enough to break the skin, and cause him to bleed. The king cursed and dropped his child on the ground as a gasp ripped through the crowd. 

Rouxls couldn’t see what was happening, he could only hear the scuffle and the sound of Lancer screaming as he heard the blade drop.

-

Lancer locked himself in his bedroom. He couldn’t stop crying. It was all over. It was done. There was nothing he could do. He couldn’t save him. He wasn’t fast enough. He wasn’t strong enough. He was weak. 

The child was sobbing, inconsolable as he dug his face into his pillow, kicking his feet and screaming. He felt like his heart was being ripped to pieces. Rouxls was gone and there was nothing he could do about it. If he had just gone a little faster, done something sooner, he might still be here. He might still be here to read him bedtime stories, to sing to him, to hug him. If he could just hold his hand one more time, he might feel better about being such an absolute, pathetic, worthless whelp. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who fuking cried while writing this?


	5. The End: Additions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be some additions I didn't include in the original story. First will be a snipped interaction between Rouxls and Spade that I cut simply because it felt too awkward to squeeze in at the end, and the second addition is what I am calling "The Worst Ending". It is not for the faint of heart. It will be the original inspiration I got for this fic, and it is extremely graphic.

(Hi Everyone, it's me the author! I'm so glad y'all enjoyed the fic so much! just as some additional content, I'm gonna post the conversation Spade had with Rouxls, and also the original idea I had for the ending. But I'm warning you! If you thought the "Bad end" version was bad this one is uh, oof. Anyway, I'll stop talking now and get on with the extra content.)

* * *

 

Rouxls finally had a moment to himself after assuring Lancer several times he felt okay. He let out a soft sigh and relaxed on the hospital style bed. His leg was properly casted, an IV was running fluids into his body, and despite everything he really did genuinely feel good. He closed his eyes, deciding for now he would try and rest, that was until he heard the doorknob turn. 

"I toldest thou, I feel- oh." He thought Lancer had come back, but in reality it was the King, who stood almost hitting the ceiling in the room. "S-Sire! Forgiveth me, I beg of thee. Mine actions were simply-" He stopped when the king held his hand up.

"Rouxls," he started, lowering his hand. "I have made the decision to pardon your actions. I see how much you care for my son, and how much he cares for you. In exchange for a declaration of innocence, however, you must agree to one thing."

Rouxls was a little nervous, but he nodded his head. "And, what would that be, thou majesty?"

"You must agree to take on care and responsibility for Lancer."

Rouxls relaxed back on the bed, a smile stretching across his face. That was easy, he already was doing that. "Yes, of course, Highness. It wouldst be mine honour."

The king nods, and turned back towards the door. "Then it is decided. I shall make the pardon immediately." Without another word the king left, leaving Rouxls to finally rest himself. 

* * *

**This Is Your Final Warning! The Following Content is Graphic, and Heart Wrenching. Proceed At Your Own Risk!**

* * *

 

Rouxls ripped his eyes away from Lancer, staring at the ground as tears fell from his face, walking silently forward until he was stopped, and put onto his knees. He hissed in pain from his broken leg, hands curling into fists behind his back. Lancer was calling for him, repeatedly, but he couldn’t bare to look at the child as he was bent forward, his body shaking as his head was placed on the lunette. He couldn’t look anywhere but the ground, and at this point he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

-

Lancer squirmed, fighting against his father’s tight grip. “Rouxls! Get up! Please!” He was yanked by his father.

“Quiet, boy! This is what must be done. He’s a traitor.”

Lancer disobeyed, he tried wiggling out of the kings grip, but that only made it tighter. “Stop it! Let him go! Please, father! Let him go!” The king grumbled, using both hands to hold down his child.

“I thought I had taught you not to become attached to anyone. Don’t you see why? He’s turned on us, Lancer. He attacked me. He put you in danger. He must be dealt with.”

Lancer didn’t want to hear any of it. He kicked his legs, beat his body against his fathers hands, anything he could to try to loosen his grip, but the king didn’t budge. He was running out of time, and fast.

The chime of the bell tower ceased, and with a nod the Rudinn spoke a soft apology to Rouxls and prepared to commence the execution. The king gripped the back of Lancer's head and nearly tore the child's clothing when he removed the hood that covered his eyes. Lancer screamed as the blade was dropped. Rouxls screamed even louder as the blade tore halfway through his neck, his blood spilling over the head lock and bench, down in a pool around the guillotine. The ranger lifted the blade and dropped it too early, and it only managed to slice an inch deeper. Lancer was screaming and crying, his father's tight grip forcing him to watch as the blade was dropped from full height for a third time, this time fully decapitating the man he viewed higher than his own father. 

-

Rouxls could still barely see as his brain was shutting down. His eyelids were fluttering, but he could see Lancer. Somehow, a thought managed to form in his mind before he slipped into the darkness.  _"Oh dear, my son needs a hug, doesn't he?"_

-

-

Lancer's footsteps echoed softly as he walked through the courtyard, and when they stopped everything was silent. "Hey Rouxls." He sat on the ground, in front of a headstone. "I found this really cool bug today, I thought you would want to see it." He placed a beetle on the grave marker with Rouxls's name carved into it. "Have you ever seen this one before? I haven't." Lancer watched as the bug flew away, and then he looked back at the stone. He placed his shaking hand on the cold marble. "I miss you." His voice was shaking, and tears streaked down his face. "I'm sorry, I know you don't like seeing me cry. But, it's hard, without you around. Father has been worse. No one knows what to do anymore." He slipped his other hand under his hood and wiped his eyes. "I wish I could hold your hand again. I wish I could've saved you. I wish I could go back in time and stop all this from happening." He leaned forwards, resting his head on the stone. "But I can't." He wrapped both of his arms around the headstone, hugging it. "I know I always called you lesser dad, but, I think you're the greatest dad ever." He closed his eyes and hummed softly with shaking breaths. "I memorized it, see? You used to always sing me that and I would fall asleep. It was always my favourite." His fingers traced the engraved lettering of the deceased man's name. He stayed leaned up against the headstone, one arm still around it as the other lay across his lap. He wanted to stay here forever, but night was falling and he was getting cold. He felt drops of rain hit his face, and he frowned. "You wouldn't be happy if I stayed out in the rain. I never listened to you when you told me to come inside, and then I would get sick and you would take care of me all day until I got better. Remember?" He looked at the stone, half expecting an answer. The young boy stood up slowly. "I'll go inside now, I promise. Good night dad. I love you." He kissed the top of the headstone before crossing his arms and turning to walk back into the castle. He stood in the doorway and turned his head over his shoulder to take one last look before he closed the door.


End file.
